In black and white
by Lily Rickman
Summary: Regina Mills is a young and succesful pianist that is studying in the internationally acclaimed Julliard School in New York City, but one day Emma Swan, who belongs in a completely different world than her, steals her heart. (AU)
1. Two Sets

**AN: **Yay! New Swan Queen story! I think the summary explains well enough where this story is aiming to.

If you've read any of my other fanfics you know how it goes, if not, just have patience on me because I'm (as this Regina) a piano major at a prestigious music school, so that keeps me busy. Even so, I hope you enjoy. When you finish please review/fave/follow and tell me what you think!

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Chapter 1: Two sets

Every chair on the stage of Carnegie hall was taken by crappy-looking musicians in every day clothes. Regina Mills went out of the stage door, followed by her friend and manager: Kathryn Nolan.

"Wow" she exclaimed as soon as she saw everyone set and talking with their instruments on her laps. "Who's the concertino? She's super hot" she asked in a low voice to her blond friend.

"Oh my God, Regina. Don't you check who you're playing with?"

"Well yeah, I know the conductor and the overall orchestra but I don't read name by name! Just spill it Kathryn, who is she?" she asked.

"Belle French, she's australian. Prodigy child that gave her debut concert at age 8 in Sydney. She got out of Australia to study with different teachers and give concerts aroud the world. She's taken classes with the only known alumni of the ever so famous David Oistrakh and came now to New York to take some theory classes at Julliard" Kathryn told her.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Hate prodigy children. Thanks Kat, I'm gonna rock this Mozart"

She finally walked to the center of the stage and everyone stood up, she signed with her hand to make them sit down, shaking her head. She hated to be treated any different when each and every one of the musicians forming this orchestra had gone through the same path as her, except for the prodigy concertino. Even if the girl was an unbearable violin prodigy child, she was hot, so Regina approached her and shook her hand following the tradition just to be able to check her from closer.

"Maestra Mills it's a pleasure" the aussie said.

"Pleasure is mine" Regina answered. "I'm no maestra but thank you"

She walked to the beautiful and shiny Steinway piano that was placed in the middle of the room, she sat on the chair and waited for the conductorwith her legs crossed. The conductor was a very talented man who had been a prodigy child of the piano but had had to interrupt his carreer due to the loss of control of his left hand muscles, it had been a tragedy but had been fixed when he found out he had great talent for conducting, he was one of the best in New York. Regina greatly admired him and had also become her good friend. He was known as Mr. Gold or simply Gold. When he entered the room every musician but Regina stood up from their chairs, he, as Regina had done before, shook his head and made them sit again.

"Leave that to the moment we have an audience filling this room" he said as he approached the podium. Before standing on it he went to Regina's side and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Ready?" he asked her.

"As ever" she said.

The man walked to his podium and stood up, he opened his music on the music stand and looked at his orchestra. "I want a clean rehearsal, is that clear? No funny business. One full runthrough as if the one and only Mozart was here in the room with us" he said, he had a funny accent, he was scottish.

Regina sat on the chair properly and looked at Gold, he looked back at her and waited, when she nodded he put both his hands up in one smooth movement and, as if magic was coming out of his hands, all the musicians lifted their instruments and placed them in the correct way to play. Gold again looked at Regina, who again nodded and he conducted his orchestra to begin. Regina listened the first notes and felt a chill go down her spine, she loved Mozart's 21, she always had, and this was the first time she would play it with an orchestra that wasn't the Julliard youth orchestra. On the sixth bar she placed her hands on the cold piano, on the seventh she took a deep breath, and finally on the eighth she started playing.

She played softly but with desition, her favorite interpreter of this concert was of course the great Maurizio Pollini, she tried to capture as much as she could of Pollini's escence on her interpretation but without it being plagiarism.

The rehearsal was a success.

Regina Mills was a young, succesful and talented young pianist who was currently doing a piano major at New York City's finest music school: Julliard. Regina knew she was studying in one of the best music schools in the world, she knew she was studying with one of the best teachers of the world, she knew it had been a very hard thing to get in and that she had done her best at all times, but still her dream was The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, Poland. All her friends said she was crazy, but Warsaw had been her dream ever since she was 15 years old and she would never give it up. In that moment she was 22 years old, two years younger than Martha Argerich had been when she had won the Chopin International Piano Competition. Regina was in love with Martha Argerich.

Regina was the daughter of Cora Mills, a legendary ballet dancer from the MET ballet company who had retired and gave classes at the dance academy of Julliard. Cora had always wanted Regina to follow her steps as a dancer but Regina had always been keen on studying music. Music was Regina's life, she had started playing the piano at age five and had continued doing it and actually getting more and more interested in it as time passed. She had been playing the piano for almost 20 years, same time she had been reading, almost.

Her debut concert at Carnegie Hall was the next day and she was more than ready to go up that stage and play Mozart's 21 in front of hundreds of people. She had been ready for a long time.

* * *

Emma Swan was a completely different story.

Emma Swan was a pretty crazy young woman, she was always the party booster and she was always the one at the front on the wildest rock concerts. She lived a pretty hectic life, surrounded by a big collection of friends just as crazy as her. But even with all that party madness she was a very inteligent person that was studying a literature master's degree in Columbia with a very good scholarship thanks to her high marks. She lived in the dorms and shared room with her very good friend Mary Margaret Blanchard who was also studying literature, the next year they would leave the doorms to share an apartment with their friend Ruby (who studied fashion) and their friend Belle (who was an australian violin prodigy).

Emma Swan loved her life, she loved the parties, love the classes, loved the city, loved it all. Plus, she was a total babe and she knew it, she worked out to keep her body in good shape but still ate more junk food than the whole of New York City together. Upper west side was awesome for crappy cheap pizza places and cheap bars with hot waitresses. Life was good.

The day Belle was on her last rehearsal for the Mozart... thing at Carnegie Hall Emma had stayed home for a Marvel marathon. She was half-way on Spider Man number 1 when her roomate opened the door to get in.

"Oh God" Mary Margaret exclaimed tired and threw herself to her bed, that occupied half of the small dorm room. "I'm so tired"

Emma paused her film and look at her friend. "What'd you do today?" she asked.

"I went out with David to this small museum. It was pretty cool but we walked all the way from the 23rd to the 86th because we had no money left for the subway. Never doing that again" David was Mary Margaret's boyfriend.

"Where's David?" Emma asked.

"He headed home" the pixie haired brunette put her hands on her head and closed her eyes, when Emma was about to press play on the remote control again her friend talked again. "You know tomorrow is Belle's thing at Carnegie. We should go. We must go. Are you going? Ruby's going"

Emma sighed. "I really don't wanna, not my kind of thing. But I should, right? If you go I go"

"Yeah, I'll go. We have free entrance but we have to call Belle to confirm"

"Okay, yes. I'll go but first I might have a Harry Potter marathon. What time is it at?" Emma asked.

Mary Margaret rubbed her eyes. "I don't know... six? Check the Carnegie Hall site online"

Emma grabbed her Samsung phone and searched for the website. She was an android fan. She scrolled down and didn't find what she was looking for.

"There's no Belle French here. Just the Nutcracker ballet thing, an opera thing, a piano thing and another thing" she said.

Mary Margaret frowned. "Gimme that" she said and extended her arm to be handed the phone. She scrolled too. "It's this" she said. "Regina Mills Mozart piano concerto 21"

"Oh okay. What time is it?"

"Six"

"Good. I'll have time for a decent Harry Potter marathon and we can go out of here at five" she said and pressedplay to continue watching the Spderman movie.

Emma wasn't happy to have to go to the concert, but it was a friend and she had to do it. Also, she didn't know what Carnegie Hall had for her the next day.


	2. Mozart's 21

**AN:** All I can say is: Thank you so much! The first chapter got an amazing response and I am more than happy that you guys are interested in this, I've had the crave to write it for a while and I love that I finally did it.

It would be nice if you listened to Mozart's Piano Concerto 21 with Maurizio Pollini before, while or after reading, but if you don't I totally get it, not everyone is as enthusiastic as me about classical piano, but believe me, it's fantastic.

I hope you enjoy and please review/favorite/follow because that makes me want to write more. Any writing mistakes are mine so, I'm sorry if anything bothers you, you're completely welcome to blame me.

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Chapter 2: Mozart's 21

Regina Mills opened her eyes at 8:25, first thing she saw in front of her was a post-it pasted on her bed's head with Carnegie Hall written on it, she groaned and turned around to face the ceiling, what her eyes found above her was her old Martha Argerich at Carnegie Hall poster, she groaned again and while rubbing her eyes rolled over to her right side, she found herself looking at the little picture of the whole of Carnegie Hall full of people, she groaned again and closed her eyes. At 8:30 her alarm went off on her phone, her alarm sound was no other than the first movement of Mozart's 21, she extended her arm to shut it up and when she brought the small device to the front of her face she saw the alarm label: Carnegie Hall. There was no way stopping this, she was going to Carnegie Hall that day.

Regina pushed her sheets away, throwing them to the floor and sat up on her bed to then finally stand on her feet and walk to her bathroom. She opened the bathroom door and went inside, there she looked at her fairly swollen from bad sleep face on the mirror, her eyes were watery and her hair was all over her face. She ruffled her own shoulder lenghth hair softly and began getting rid of her sleeping clothes (which consisted of small shorts and an oversized tshirt), when she was completely naked she took one last glance of herself at the mirror: Small shoulders, toned arms, round breasts, small waist, flat stomach, prominent hips, long legs and well sized bum. Yes, everything was on place.

She opened the shower and put it in a good temperature, she let the warm water wet her whole body and took long to shower herself. About half an hour later she got out and covered herself with her robe after getting dry with a soft towel. She walked to the kitchen where she took plain yoghurt and berries out of the fridge and mixed them with granola to turn them into a full breakfast.

With the small bowl in her hands she walked to the wide living room where the half Steinway and the upright C.E. Bechstein stared at her, she shook her head, no studying that day. She went to her bookshelves, avoiding at all costs looking at her pianos, she grabbed the _Martha Argerich Collection 4: Complete Phillips Recordings _box and put the first CD in her CD player, the notes to Rachmaninoff's 3rd piano concerto started playing with the orchestra and then Martha's magic sounded through the speakers. Regina closed her eyes in ecstacy and then sat on her couch to eat her breakfast.

Before the second movement had started she finished her small breakfast but still she stayed on the couch to finish Rach's 3 and then listen to Tchaikovsky's 1. This was her favorite CD of all times, both the music and Martha's playing was amazing. When the last chord of Tchaikovsky's 1 finished and Martha's audience started cheering and clapping she stood up and bowed her head.

"Today's your day Martha" she said proudly and took out the CD to put it in it's place. She meant she was dedicating the concert of that day to the legendary argentinian pianist.

She finally walked back to the kitchen where she guiltily washed her plate and spoon by hand, she wasn't supposed to, it was bad for her hands, but she hated dirty things in her house and hated even more the idea of having a washing machine. After drying both the plate and her hands she walked back to her bedroom to put some clothes on and head to Carnegie Hall, she looked at the clock, it was already 10:30 and she was supposed to be there at 12:00.

Regina opened her closet door, she didn't own many clothes but all the clothes she owned were pretty, she hated all those musicians that got all dolled up before a show like they were actors in award shows, people went to concerts to listen to the music not to see the musician's make up or clothing, so she didn't own too fancy clothes. She shuffled through her hangers, almost all the dresses she owned were too short for her liking, as she thought that concerts were meant to be formal, and again, not the place to show off her body. After some minutes of going hanger by hanger she found the perfect thing: a simple white dress that went just below her knees with three-quarter sleeves and no cleveage, she paired it with high helled black shoes, brushed her teeth and hair and felt completely ready to go.

She grabbed her Strand bag (that she used as a hand bag) and placed everything she needed inside it, she went to the living room where she grabbed her music sheets from the Steinway, she'd need it back stage to read quickly before the concert. From her house phone she called Kathryn.

_"Hello?" _the blond answered the phone.

"Kat I'm leaving my home, see you at Carnegie Hall?" Regina asked.

"_Regina, are you driving for the first time in your life today? What car?"_ Kathryn asked.

"No, I'm going by train. It's really easy from here" Regina said simply.

Regina heard Kathryn gasp. "_Are you kidding me? Regina you're the fucking soloist at Carnegie Hall tonight, you're not going by train, I'm driving you"_

"Kat, it really isn't necesary" Regina said, but the other woman had already hung up.

Regina threw herself heavily to her sofa and patiently waited for her friend. She hated that Kathryn thought she was some kind of Hollywood celebrity, it wasn't like someone on the street would recognise her, maybe yes inside the medium, but music medium was very small and closed, if Martha Argerich could walk on the street in Brussels without anyone recognising her, Regina Mills could travel in the subway with absolutely no problem. But she couldn't complain, and she didn't want to complain. Kathryn arrived soon to pick her up in a black Mercedes.

"You look beautiful Regina, white suits you and your skin tone. I love that you went for simple rather than eye catching, after all, people are there for your music and that only. You'll play beautiully" Kathryn told her smiling when they were in the car.

"I could have used the train Kat" Regina said.

"Driving you doesn't cost me anything"

* * *

"Emma I'm leaving" Mary Margaret told the blond from the dorm room's bathroom door. "I'm coming back at five with David so we can all leave together okay?"

"And Ruby?" Emma asked.

"We'll meet her at Carnegie, she's seated next to us" the petite brunette answered, sticking an earring in her pearced ear.

"And Belle?"

"She said she had to get to Carnegie at twelve because she had to rehearse and do sound check and stuff but we'll meet her after the show"

"Okay" Emma said dismissively and stood up from her bed to put the first Harry Potter movie inside the DVD player.

Mary Margaret finally walked out of the bathroom and looked at Emma. "Try not to melt your brain before Belle's show, will you? She'll want us to tell her what we thought" she said.

"Right, I won't but... what even is this show? I mean, Carnegie Hall web page didn't even have Belle's name on it, you said some name and piano Mozart" Emma said.

"How should I know? Investigate if you're interested but David is waiting for me outside so, see you later" Mary Margaret told her and immediately walked out of the dorm room.

Just in time the Warner Bros logo appeared on the TV and the Harry Potter theme came through the speakers, Emma paused the menu and grabbed her laptop from the small desk next to her bed, she put in on her lap and opened it. Imitating what she had done the previous day she opened her browser and typed on it, the neat web page appeared and she went to click the button that said concerts, the first thing that appeared was the picture of a piano with the words_ 'Regina Mills and the New York Symphony Orchestra: Mozart Piano Concerto 21',_ Emma clicked on it and a new page displayed.

On the top of the page there was the name Regina Mills next to the picture of a young and beautiful woman, Emma read what it said: _Regina Mills (22 years old) is one of the finest students of the piano academy at the Julliard School of Music; she began her piano studies at age 5, taking lessons at home with the russian pianist and musicologist Nadia Petrovich, who was an old family friend through her mother (Cora Mills, the internationally acclaimed ballet dancer, coreographer and instructor). Soon after, both her mother and her teacher realized of little Mills' great talent and so they managed to get her classes with the Julliard proffesor Piotr Abramovich, who took her in gladly and when she was of age helped her to get into the academy. The Mills daughter has had a great amount of talent when playing the baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach and has won many competitions with his music. Mozart's 21 is the first concert she has ever played with a full orchestra and will be her stage debut concert. Carnegie Hall has the pleasure to welcome her and the New York Symphony Orchestra, together with the many young musicians who are debuting this year._

Emma nodded and proceeded to read about the conductor, the orchestra, and finally, the concert. It seemed to be a very played concert, which apparently made it harder for pianists to get a satisfied audience with it. Emma had never been a great fan of classical music, she considered it boring and too formal, but reading that she found many similarities between it and classic literature, she'd find out more in the evening. After reading every last bit of that page that she could find she shrugged to herself and pressed play on her movie.

* * *

**1:00 pm**

"No, I'm not playing" Regina said for the fifth time. "I'll play whatever but the 21, if I do anything to it now it'll be a disaster, trust me"

"Miss. Mills, we need a last rehearsal, please" Gold insisted.

"I won't. If you want a rehearsal you can conduct the orchestra and I'll sing my part but I won't lay a single finger on that piano if it means I have to play the 21 before six" Regina said, crossing her arms.

"You can't sing Mozart's 21" Gold told her, gesticulating exaggerately.

"Try me" Regina said.

Regina had arrived with Kathryn at Carnegie Hall just in time, she had directed the hall's workers to where and in what angle she wanted the Steinway, she had chosen the chair she liked most, she had gotten comfortable in her room back stage and had recieved the flowers that the stage manager had sent her. Everything had gone well until all the musicians dressed in black and the elegant conductor had sat on their places on stage and asked her for a rehearsal, Regina didn't want to play until it was time for the audience both because the more she thought of the concert before playing it, the worst she played and because she loved spontanity to happen to the point she didn't only impress the audience but also impressed herself. But Gold and the hot concertino and Kathryn and the guy that had to do sound check insisted.

"Regina please" Gold asked her again.

"No" she said.

They kept on arguing for about 10 minutes until Proffesor Abramovich (Regina's teacher) arrived to the hall and interrupted them.

"What the hell is going on in here?" he said in his strong russian accent.

"Miss. Mills won't play the concert for a last rehearsal" Gold said immediately, trying to push blame on her.

"No! I don't want to, you know why, I never play the day of the exam or the competition or the concert" Regina told her teacher.

"But this is an orchestra, we all have to rehearse, not you alone!" Gold exclaimed.

"I'm not playing!" Regina rose her voice.

"Shut up" her teacher said. "Both of you, shut up. Regina, did you bring your music sheet?" he asked.

"Yes" she said.

"Bring it, I'll play it but you turn my pages and I don't assure my interpretation will be beautiful, give me a tempo and I'm up for it" he said.

Regina thanked him and left, Gold agreed so that was a win for everyone. She came back soon with her pages and put them on the piano, her teacher sat and played with the orchestra, Regina admired him greately, it was true it wasn't a superb interpretation but he had been able to play every single note with the required dynamics and at the proper tempo, without rehearsing and probably having not played the concert in more than 20 years.

After the rehearsal Regina went to her room where she put her earphones on and listened to all of her Martha Argerich albums in shuffle with her eyes closed, eventually she fell asleep.

* * *

**5:00 pm**

Fucking Belle, Emma thought to herself while she climbed on her pink high heels, she was dressed in a tight and short pink dress matching the shoes and had let her hair fall down in it's naturally waved form. She had had time to watch the first four Harry Potter movies and eat something small for lunch until Mary Margaret had returned with her boyfriend and had forced her to shower and change. Mary Margaret's boyfriend was a very handsome young man and he looked on point with a suit, Mary Margaret herself looked very beautiful in the yellow dress she had on. Emma didn't understand why she had to dress a special way for the concert, she wasn't going to be on stage anyways, but she couldn't complain.

When she was ready she went out, grabbed the small hand bag she was using and put a coat on. "Ready?" she asked the couple that was currently seated one in front of the other on the two dorm beds.

"Let's go!" David said.

The three young adults walked first out of the dorm room, then out of the building and eventually out of campus. They went to the nearest subway station and used the express train that left them 5 blocks away from Carnegie Hall. The outside of the Hall was very crouded, big prints of the face of the conductor and the beautiful young pianist hanged from the building and were placed on posters outsde, Mary Margaret gave Emma her ticket and avoiding the crowds they got in. When finally entering the auditorium they were all given little booklets that had the programme and all the information that Emma had read on the web site printed on them and, of course, on the front, a picture of the pianist, the conductor, and the orchestra standing on the stage, all dressed in black except for the soloist that had on a blue suit. Emma quickly found Belle on the left of the picture, next to the soloist and pointed her smiling to her friends, who laughed and then found her too on their own programmes. The places they had assigned were on the left of the auditorium and in one of the first rows, Emma realized Belle had placed them there because that was where they would have the best view of her, but she also realized it was the optimus place to watch the pianist.

They got to their places at 5:30 and little by little the place was having less empty seats, until eventually it was completely full. Their friend Ruby arrived too, dressed in a probably too short black dress and too tall black heels that made her alreay long legs look infinite. No one told her anything.

* * *

**6:00 pm**

"Oh my God" Regina said, peeking through the small hole the stage door had for the musicians to see the hall without going out. "It's full"

"Debut concert and you fill Carnegie Hall Miss. You're shining bright" Gold told her smiling and getting near to hug her, all the anger from before had faded completely.

"Did you know Martha Argerich has stage panic? She canceled many concerts when people were already on their seats because she simply couldn't get herself to go out" Regina said nervously as the little group musicians that were still missing from the orchestra started going out.

"You and your Martha Argerich, it's going to be all right" Gold said.

The recorded voice of a woman came through the theatre's speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, we remind you that the use of cameras or video cameras of any type is strictly prohibited, such as celular phones or any kind of communication device. Please turn silent mode on or shut off your phones in form of respect to the artists performing today. We hope you have a pleasant time"

Another recording announced last call, immediately after, the hot concertino went through the stage door and the audience clapped at her while she walked, kicking her long black dress, to the center of the stage. She played her tuning note and helped the whole orchestra to get in tune, when she was done she sat down.

Gold looked at Regina and she nodded, the stage door was opened for them and even before she could step out an overwhelming amount of clapping came from the audience, she walked outiside with Gold behind her and she saw the whole orchestra rise for them, she didn't look at the audience, just kept walking until she got to the concertino to shake her hand, Gold imitated her shortly after and then helped her turn around and bow putting a hand on her back. She thanked him in her mind because she was too nervous to think of doing it on her own. She again nodded at her friend and conductor of the day and walked to sit on her chair in front of the open piano. As soon as she was sitting she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Here's to you Martha" she whispered.

The clapping had ceased and all the musicians were seated, she turned to face Gold and smiled at him, he smiled back, she nodded and he put his hands up, putting all the instruments in place with that movement. The strings started playing the concert and she forgot about all her worries. When the time came to put the hands on the keys and play she was so inmersed in the music she didn't even think of it. She impressed herself with the beautiful Mozart delicacy that came from her fingers.

* * *

Emma Swan swore she was going to fall asleep until not long after the begining of the concert the pianist started playing, she opened her eyes widely and got straight on her seat, she was almost sure she felt the whole room stop breathing and focus completely on the magical hands of the soloist. She listened carefully to the developement of the energetic first movement and was sad to have to blink or breathe until the soft ending of it, she was about to clap but realized the audience was silent, she looked at Mary Margaret who shook her head to leave it clear that she wasn't supposed to clap. She waited impatient the couple seconds until the second movement started.

* * *

Regina was proud and impressed, she didn't have much time but she breathed deeply to calm all the emotions the beautiful fifteen minute long first movement had caused her, her favorite was the second and she was very excited to start. She looked at Gold who was already looking at her and nodded lightly. He started moving his hands soft and rythmically. The music started and Regina closed her eyes again, she danced with subtle movements, enjoying ever second of the fantastic and slow second movement.

She played the imitation of the orchestra and her heart fluttered inside her chest.

* * *

Emma's jaw fell wide open, this was even better than the first movement. There was something about the way Regina played, the way she moved with the music and how she made it look so simple that impressed her almost as much as Mozart's compositon. You could see in each snd every one of her expressions and body movements that she was enjoying it even more than the hypnotized audience.

Emma turned to see Belle, who also moved her left hand and right arm virtuosly, and found her looking at the pianist more than she was looking at her hands or her music sheets, all the musicians were like that. The second movement was much shorter than Emma would have wished for.

* * *

The pause between the second and the third movement was almost unexistant and also Regina started playing much earlier than in the previous two. She loved the energy of the last movement, so lively and so unique, so happy. She let many smiles escape her lips in the time it lasted.

What Regina was doing that day at Carnegie Hall was giving absolutely everything, every last bit of energy and musicality she had was going to that Mozart and it felt amazing, partly because it was having just the effect she wanted it to have. Every member of the orchestra was also doing the same thing,

After a whole concert of 30 minutes, many solo moments, many silent moments and more than anything many beautiful moments she played, together with the other many musicians on stage with her, the last three chords.

* * *

On the moment the arms of the pianist left the piano it was as if an unhuman force pulled Emma and everyone else in the room up, Emma Swan stood up from her seat at the same time as hundreds of other people and started clapping as if her life depended on it, she looked around, roses flew all across Carnegie Hall and fell on the stage, she saw all the musicians stand up, turn around to face their audience and bow to them.

* * *

Regina's cheeks hurt, she couldn't stop smiling and she couldn't believe that every single person in the audience was standing, it was amazing. She went to stand next to Gold, who pulled her in the warmest hug and then grabbed her had to bow with her, the entire orchestra was clapping too, either with their bows on their instrument or with their hands, having left their instruments on their chairs. Gold pulled her hand after some minutes and forced her to go out of stage, tears of happiness were running down her cheeks, she cleaned them and then followed Gold back to stage.

The audience still clapped, and it continued for more than 10 more minutes in which she was forced to go in and out of stage several times. She was given another flower bouquet. Eventually the clapping stopped being a confusing rain and became a regular rythm in unison, people wanted more. She laughed and looked at Gold who smiled at her.

"I didn't prepare anything" she said.

"Let's play second movement again, it was beautiful, Maurizio Pollini would have been proud of you" he answered.

And there Regina lost it, but she had to announce what she'd give as a gift to her amazing audience. She stepped front and the room went silent after 10 minutes of being madness. "I had nothing prepared for such an overwhelmingly beautiful response but, I guess you won't mind us playing the second movement again?" she said loudly.

The audience's cheer was so loud, there was no doubt it would be absolutely no problem.

* * *

Emma was impressed, apart from being an amazing pianist she had a beautiful voice. She was glad that they were repeating the second movement because it had been the best of them all. Second time was even better than first.

Emma didn't know how much time she had been clapping that night, but she was sure that with a single second more than what she had done her hands would fall off.

* * *

**7:30 pm**

Someone knocked on Regina's door back stage, she was still shaking from the adrenaline shot that the concert had been.

"Regina?" she heard an australian accent from inside. "Can I come in? There's some friends that want to meet you"

"Sure, it's not locked" Regina answered from inside.

She heard the door unlock. "Regina it was beautiful" Belle told her.

Regina smiled. "You and the whole orchestra did an amazing job too. Who are your friends?" she asked.

"Oh" Belle said, letting her friends step in and pointing at them when she named them. "That's Mary Margaret Blanchard, that's her boyfriend David Nolan, that's Ruby Lucas and that's Emma Swan. They asked me if they could meet you because they loved the concert"

Regina thanked and shook the four friends' hands, but she had no idea of what she was doing. The blond girl was _beautiful._

* * *

**AN: **Once again thanks for reading! Any doubt on any music terminology or name of an important figure I might use on this chapter or later, my PM box is always open Note that there are also many made up names.

Much love,

-Lily Rickman


	3. When Regina met Emma

**AN: **As you may have noticed I took longer to update, sorry, I'm back from Christmas break on both highschool and music school, so yeah...

I hope you enjoy and please review/favorite/follow because that makes me want to write more. Any writing mistakes are mine so, I'm sorry if anything bothers you, you're completely welcome to blame me. Once again thanks for reading! Any doubt on any music terminology or name of an important figure I might use on this chapter or later, my PM and my tumblr ask box is always open.

Note that there are also many made up names.

Much love,

-Lily Rickman

* * *

Chapter 3: When Regina met Emma.

"So Regina, some words?" her teacher asked her. They were sitting at a restaurant together with some members of the orchestra, her mother, Gold, Kathryn, Belle and Belle's friends.

After having been introduced to the concertino's friends Regina hadn't really had time to say anything but ask Belle if they were going to the dinner later, Proffesor Abramovich had almost kicked out the room's door and ran to hug her and congratulate her, then it had been her mother and then many people that she had been introduced to and then all the people waiting outside of Carnegie Hall's back door. It had all been a blur until she was finally seated on her chair at the restaurant's door, between her teacher and Belle's friend Emma and she was able to ask for a glass of water.

"Words?" Regina asked him. "No, I don't do words, sir"

"Regina Mills you just had your debut concert and filled Carnegie Hall, and were applauded just as much as the great musicians, you have to leave good, pretty, little, modest girl behind" he complained. "You're aiming for all"

"But-" she said.

"No 'buts' Regina" Gold said from across the table. "Just say a little something and we'll leave you alone"

"Please Regina, listen to them" Cora told her. "The day I debuted I had to talk in front of the whole company, and I was very proud of it"

Belle, who had been listening to the whole discussion without giving any opinion decided to talk at last. "Yes Regina! We want a speech" she said loudly.

The whole table cheered and Regina had no option but to stand up and talk. "Well I, I'd like to thank first than anyone my mother, who has supported me through this career even if she would have liked me to be part of a ballet company instead of an orchestra; I'd like to thank, of course, the mad and amazingly talented and patient and supportive proffesor Abramovich, without whom I wouldn't be anywhere near this table and who has had the possibility to kick me out of his class countless times but still has never done it; I also thank my great great friend and manager Kathryn Nolan ,who helped me make this mad project true and who dragged me out of bed to study oh so many days; the talented, admirable, and very loved director Mr. Gol.d, who basically created Mozart's 21 all over again and programmed rehearsals on the days I less wanted to have them but then helped me enjoy them; the impressive Belle French, whom I just met yesterday and was the best concertino I could ever have wished for; the whole orchestra that did all the magic, to the ones that are here right now and to the ones that aren't too, thank you. I really couldn't be happier than I am right now in my life and it is an honor for me to be surrounded by so many amazing people today"

The table clapped and then Regina's beloved teacher raised his glass of wine, being immediately followed by the other people on the table. "To Regina" he said. "Who gave everything today on that stage and who will be my first graduated student in decades" the people laughed lightly and then clicked their glasses together, to follow the toast started. Regina thanked shyly and sat back down.

"So, Emma" she told the blond girl after meditating for a minute how to start a conversation without making a complete fool of herself. "What do you do?"

"College?" Emma asked laughing awkwardly. "I live in the dorms with a room mate, I go to parties on campus, I live my life on campus and I study when I have to"

Regina smiled. "Right, college. I never lived that. And what is your major? What do you study?"

"Literature"

"Oh nice, if you think of literature as an art rather than something else it is very similar to music and dance and visual arts" the brunette said.

"Yeah well, it is defined as something more complex than just an art but yes, I suppose so. I think that wether or not you think of something as an art is a very personal thing that you get to depending on what you have lived, what you have been taught and what you do" Emma told her.

Regina wet her lips with her tongue and looked at Emma's eyes. "Do you see music as an art?" she asked.

"I didn't used to" Emma said. "Until today. What you did up there was an art, and if someone thinks it wasn't then it was magic, but art exists and magic doesn't so..." she shrugged. "Do you think music is an art?"

Regina nodded. "Certain music is art, the music I study is art, I think. The music that needs of a long thinking process to be played and to be listened, the music that you have to go over the page to give life to, that is art"

Emma gave her a small smile. "So do you listen to music that doesn't fall into your definition of art?"

Regina opened her mouth to say that yes of course, she wasn't some kind of snob that only saw as worth listening to the things that fell into her definition of art, but then she thought more and realized that she was wrong. "Not really, but... I had never seen it like that. What kind of music do you listen to?"

"Pretty much everything but I'm not big on classical" she answered shyly. "My friends technically dragged me to your concert because I had to go to support Belle. I used to think it was boring"

Regina laughed lightly. "Yes, people tend to think that. I find music without structure boring"

"Right, so you're not big on parties?"

Regina shook her head.

"What do you do for fun?" Emma asked her, not able to imagine another kind of life than her own.

"I play alone, I play in chamber ensambles, I play with an orchestra, I read, I go out with my friend Kathryn, I go out with people. I don't know, there's lots of ways to have fun other than parties and life on campus" Regina answered.

Before Emma could say anything the waiters arrived to deliver each person seated on the long table a plate with steaming lasagna on top of it, Regina's mouth watered and her eyes shined, lasagna was her absolute favorite. She turned to look at her friend Kathryn who was just smiling at her.

"I know" the blond woman said proudly from across the table. "I chose the menu"

"Thank you Kat!" Regina told her happily and turned to her plate to take a first mouthful of the delicious italian dish. She hummed in delight as soon as she tasted the tomato sauce and grated cheese, it was absolutely delicious. After some eager bites she turned to look at the blond girl next to her who was also completely focused on eating, she wanted to keep talking but she didn't know what about, so the most stupid question she could have asked came from her lips. "Emma? Do you have a boyfriend?"

Emma closed her mouth and put her loaded fork back on her plate to look back at Regina. "What?" she asked.

Regina shok her head. "Sorry, just... nothing"

Emma took a sharp deep breath. "I don't have a boyfriend, I've never had a boyfriend and I will never have a boyfriend. I kind of run on the opposite side of the road if that makes any sense. Why did you ask?"

Regina's stomach fliped when she heard Emma's confession, she opened her eyes widely and then forced herself to calm down. "I, I wanted to keep talking and oddly enough it was the first thing that came through my mind" she answered guiltily.

"That's all right. Do you?" Emma asked her.

"Have a boyfriend?"

"Yeah"

"No" Regina said and then quoted the other girl's previous words. "I run on the opposite side of the road"

Emma laughed at her. "No way!"

The young pianist bit her lower lip and nodded shyly. "Yes way"

"Wow well, Miss. Mills I'll drink to that" Emma said raising her glass and taking a sip of the dark red liquid inside.

Regina laughed and rose her glass too to take a small sip of wine from it. "I like you, Emma" she said looking into the green-blue eyes.

Emma smiled at her warmly. "I like you too, Regina"

They talked some more while they kept eating, they talked mainly about the concert because Emma insisted on talking about that topic, when eventually they were interrupted by other people on the table Regina had to talk more about what had happened on Carnegie Hall, she was happy on one side because after all she had been waiting for that moment her entire life, but she wished she could talk to Emma about something else, about her, she wanted to get to know the beautiful blond. No one had ever made her feel so nervous and yet so at home.

Eventually it was time to leave the restaurant, Kathryn was hurrying Regina to leave because she was driving her to her apartment but the brunette asked her to wait a second and ran to reach Emma, who was about to leave through another exit.

"Emma wait" she said, making the girl and her friends stop to turn to look at her.

"What is it?" Emma asked her, walking to be in front of her.

Regina took a marker out of her hand bag, she had used it to sign some authographs to the Mozart enthusiasts outside of Carnegie Hall, she grabbed Emma's arm by the wrist and scribbled her phone number on the palm of her hand. "Call me sometime, will you?" Regina asked her.

Emma looked at the small black numbers on her hand and nodded at the girl who had written them. "I will"

* * *

"Thanks Kat, I'll call you tomorrow" Regina told her friend when she got out of the car, it was 11:00 pm but she had absolutely no desire to sleep. She went inside the building's lobby and greeted the lobby man, Sidney Glass, with a small smile.

"I heard you on the radio" he said from his sitting spot.

Regina blushed lightly. "Really? What did you think?"

"It was beautiful Miss, even better than when I get to hear you here. Not that you don't play beautifully on your own, but you know... it was all big and spectacular" he said smiling.

"Thank you Sidney. Let's hope there are more to come. Are there many people in the building tonight?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "Floor two and five only"

"Thank you" she said and after bowing her head she turned to walk to the elevator.

The building Regina lived in was a short building of 8 floors, each floor was a single big apartment and most of them were owned by rich people who only used them for short terms when they weren't living in other cities, that condition made it easy for Regina to study as much and as late as she wanted to, every neighbor was well aware of her career and had been warned about the posibility of late night study, prople actually seemed to like and appreciate it. The apartment had been proccured by her mother as soon as she had turned 18 years old because Regina's study had started bothering the neighbors from her childhood neighborhood, the place she was now living in was basically perfect.

Regina went inside her apartment, kicked her high shoes out immediately, turned the living room's lights on and walked to the windows to close the curtains. She walked to her messy bedroom where she took off her white dress and put on her pijamas, she then went to the kitchen where she poured herself a glass of water that she took with her back to the living room and after emptying half left on top of the upright piano.

The young brunette stroked the top of her full Steinway and opened it's lid to reveal the beautiful inside, she then sat on the chair and opened the smaller lid, she ran her hands on top of the black and white tiles and after some seconds she started playing freely the first thing that came through her mind: Bach's Second Piano Partita. It had been a great day, it would be a good night.

* * *

Emma Swan sat on her bed in her dorm room, she had returned to the upper west side with her friends but they had all gone to different places and that was why she was sitting there alone. She had taken off her exaggerately high heels and her tight dress and had dressed in her favorite clothing: her pijamas. At 12:00 she thought on going to sleep but her mind was uneasy, she turned on her bed side table light and sat up, she opened her hand in front of her and saw Regina's neat numbers on it, she smiled.

She grabbed her cellphone and dialed the number, she placed the cold device on her ear and waited four beeps until she heard the deep voice that belonged to the young pianist through the line.

"_Hello?_" Regina answered.

"Hey" Emma said biting her bottom lip.

_"Emma?_" the girl through the line asked.

"Yeah" Emma said, she stopped snd then talked again. "I didn't wake you up did I?"

"_No, I was just playing_"

"Oh okay. Sorry" the blond said feeling a hint of guilt.

"_No that's all right, I should sleep soon. It's nice to hear your voice_"

"Regina?" Emma asked anxiously.

_"Emma?"_

"When can I see you again?"


	4. Friends

**AN:** Yes, yes, yes. I'm a mess and always delay updates. Sorry, I lead a busy life. Thanks for sticking around!

I hope you enjoy and please review/favorite/follow because that makes me want to write more. Any writing mistakes are mine so, I'm sorry if anything bothers you, you're completely welcome to blame me. Once again thanks for reading! Any doubt on any music terminology or name of an important figure I might use on this chapter or later, my PM and my tumblr ask box are always open.

Note that there are also many made up names.

Much love,

-Lily Rickman

* * *

Chapter 4: Friends.

Regina Mills was walking through the Julliard corridors as fast as she could without running when she heard her name being called from behind, she turned around and she saw a familiar face popping out one of the practice room's doors, it was her friend Malleficent, well, 'friend'.

"Hello Malleficent" she said forcing a small smile.

"We went to your concert at Carnegie the other day" Malleficent said almost spitting out the word Carnegie. "I thought it was... good. Full of people, right? And out of all the conductors that are helping with these small debuts you got Gold, lucky you"

"I'm glad you were able to go" Regina said, hoping the blond soprano would leave her alone.

"You know Ursula, Cruella and I are also having a concert soon. No biggie like Carnegie, just here at Julliard's auditorium" she handed the brunette an invite that had the trio of singers printed on it together with some information on the concert. "I hope you can go. Also... we were wondering if you would mind accompanying us both on the rehearsals and the concert? Not that we didn't have a pianist since before, but he quit"

"I wonder why..." Regina said sarcastically.

"Come on Regina, you know we are the best singing trio at Julliard right now. At least will you accompany me right now while I practice? I'm completely lost and I'm having trouble keeping up with the tempo" the singer said, ignoring Regina's comment.

"You know I would love to but right now I have to get out of here because I have something to do. I can tell Kevin, he's a good pianist and I'll be sure to go to your concert"

"Oh but I hate Kevin!" the singer protested.

"Well then I can't help you. Use a metronome!" and with this Regina turned around to keep walking to the school's entrance.

"Bitch" she heard Malleficent say from behind. She laughed.

Going through the corridors of Julliard was hell that day, Regina had to excuse herself to countless people who wanted to talk about the concert, she really had to get home. When she finally got out she had to run between the crowds of people in Lincoln Centre to finally get to the subway, which was also incredibly crowded. It took her about half an hour to get to her house's stop and then 5 more minutes to get to her apartment, where she could finally breathe in peace.

She walked to her room where she threw her school bag to a corner and took off her clothes and dived in her closet to take out a black low cut shirt, tight blue jeans and a pair of heeled black boots that she put on. She then went to her bathroom where she brushed her hair and teeth and put makeup on (basically eyeliner and bright red lipstick). She grabbed a black handbag where she threw everything she thought she might need in the day: cellphone, wallet, a book, makeup bag, keys. a notebook. a pen and her glasses case. She put on perfume and took a last glance of herself at the mirror, everything seemed to be in place.

She was so nervous, this was her first date in ages... was it even a date? She damn hoped it was because Emma Swan was beautiful both from the inside and outside.

Regina went out of her apartment and then out to the street again, she walked to the subway and headed to 116 street, that was the subway station Emma had told her was the closest to her dorm. When she finally arrived at campus she was completely blown away; campus was like another tiny city inside Manhattan, Julliard was ridiculous in size compared to that. She nervously walked to the person she thought looked the nicest near her and tapped his shoulder.

He turned around and opened his eyes widely at the sight of her face. "Woah hello gorgeous, what can I do for you this lovely sunday morning?" he asked her.

"Hi" she said with a smile. "Do you mind telling me where..." she took out her phone and read from her text messages. "...dorm rooms 600 West 116th street is?"

"Sure. I can walk you if you want" he said grinning.

"I..." Regina stammered.

"Neal stop it, she's obviously here to see someone and she doesn't need you bothering her" a red headed girl said from behind the young man. "You're giving your back to the building, cross this street, it's the white building. And sorry, he's a dick"

Regina smiled at them. "It's okay, thank you"

"Will you at least tell me your name or your major?" Neal asked when she was about to start walking again.

She laughed lightly. "Regina Mills, pianist. I'm gay"

The red headed girl laughed loudly and 'oooed' her friend. "Take that man" she said punching his arm. "Nice to meet you Regina!"

"Nice to meet you too guys"

At last she turned around and crossed the street to get to Emma's dorm building. She unlocked her cellphone and texted the beautiful blond:_ I'm here, wait for you in front of the entrance._

Seconds later an answer came in_. _**_Emma Swan:_**_ Got it! See you in a sec. ;)_

Regina didn't have to wait long until the blond woman who had been haunting her dreams since the night of the concert came out of the building's front door, she was dressed in a very different outfit than the night of the concert but she still looked amazing: red leather jacket, tight blue jeans, black boots and a white tank top. Actually, Regina found it quite appealing.

At first, Emma didn't see Regina, but the moment she turned to her right she saw the amused (and great looking) brunette sitting on the step that separated the building from the street watching her.

"Hey! You look great" she said pointing at the young pianist's clothing when they were finally both standing at the same level.

Regina felt her face heating, but stopped the imminent blushing by taking a sharp breath of air. "Thank you. You look great too!" she answered.

"So... where do you want to go to?" Emma asked her rocking from her toes to her heels.

Regina shrugged. "I don't know. A cafe or something like that would be nice... this isn't really my area"

"Okay, follow me then!" Emma said with excitement and started walking down the street.

They walked on the 116th street to get to Broadway, then there they turnedto the 114th street that took them to Amsterdam Avenue, where they walked to the 11th street where the small cafe was. The place was called The Hungarian Pastry Shop, and Regina thought it was very beautiful: It had a place to sit outside and inside it was lit by a warm light that went perfectly with all the wooden furniture and decor. They sat at a table inside that was next to the window that showed the street.

"How have you been?" Regina asked timidly after ordering their drinks.

"Good" Emma said. "How have you been?"

"Good, it has been a little crazy everything after the concert. But I'm good"

"I'm glad" the blond said smiling.

Regina looked down for a second and then looked up again to the beautiful emmerald eyes in front of her. "We don't really know each other, except for the little time we talked on the concert night so... I thought we should try to get to know us better today. If that's okay with you"

"Of course. Regina I called you that night because I want to get to know you better. I told you, I like you. I think we can be great friends!"

_Friends. _Damn, talk about a bummer; thought Regina. Friends was a good start though, maybe that was what Emma meant...

"I think so too" Regina answered, trying to not sound dissapointed.

"Question, question?" Emma asked childishly.

"Sure"

Emma's face lit up with a smile of excitement and she put both her hands on the table, thinking of the perfect question to start off with. "Okay, I got it: Why did you choose the piano?"

Regina smirked. "Accident. My mother is a ballet dancer, ballet dancers are usually accompanied by pianists, there was a piano in my house for the days my mother had rehearsals there or for when she gave private lessons to some of her students. My mother knows the basics and taught me some to see if I could help her sometimes. Turns out at age 5 I could, I fell in love with it and forced my mother to pay me lessons"

Emma laughed. "Wow awesome! Your turn"

"Umm what do you want to do after Columbia?"

Emma scratched her scalp. "I don't know. Teach, maybe? Write, but not novels more like essays and stuff. Maybe get out of New York. What do you want to do after Julliard?"

Regina didn't even have to think that answer. "I want to go to Warsaw, Poland. Study at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music, has been my dream since I was 15 years old. If I'm lucky I shall do that at the end of this school year. After that I would like to stay in Europe, maybe Poland or Russia or Austria or Germany: Be a concert pianist, maybe have some chamber ensambles. Enjoy" she finished with a smile.

"Cool!" Emma exclaimed.

"Your biggest inspiration? Like, your role model"

A waitress arrived with their drinks, interrupting their conversation: Green tea for Regina and hot chocolate with whipped cream and cinnamon for Emma.

"Jeez. Role model: Gertrude Stein, I guess, she was an amazing writer. I guess I can't pick one out of all the amazing historical figures. Yourse?" Emma asked.

"Martha Argerich, argentine pianist. I would kill to meet her. Is Gertrude Stein your favorite writer?"

"No, Sir. Ernest Hemingway, but he can't really be my role model, he was a great writer but he was a prick" the blonde chuckled. "Is Mozart your favorite, uh, composer? I was going to ask if Martha... her last name is hard"

"Argerich" Regina said, emphatizing her spanish.

"That. I was going to ask if she was your favorite pianist but I think that might be a stupid question"

Regina smiled, of course _Marthita_ was her favorite pianist. "No, Mozart isn't my favorite composer. Johann Sebastian Bach is. Why?

"Well you debuted with Mozart..." Emma said, as if it were an obvious thing to have thought Mozart was Regina's favorite.

"Oh, no, I debuted with Mozart because Martha debuted with Mozart. I guess I think it is a good way to honor her. She debuted with the 20, I did with the 21, maybe if someday someone admires me as much as I admire Martha (which I doubt) that someone will debut with the 22 and so on" the brunette explained.

"Nice, your turn" the blond said taking a sip of her hot beverage.

"Um, how old were you when you realized you were gay? How was it?"

Emma counted something with her fingers, then gave her answer. "I was 19. I was currently dating a guy called Neal..."

Regina couldn't stop a small laugh upon hearing the name of Emma's last boyfriend.

"What is it?" Emma asked confused.

"I just ran into a guy called Neal on campus earlier today, coincidences" the young pianist explained.

"Oh, okay. So I was dating this guy and I met this girl called Lily and I sort of fell for her, then I realized I didn't fancy Neal anymore and so I dated this girl. And it opened my eyes to why I hadn't fully enjoyed any relationship to that day" she said amused. "It was pretty awesome, but I know it's not like that for everyone. Tell me about your first love..."

Did the fact that Emma was going to that side of the conversation too mean that she was interested in a different way from friendship?, Regina asked herself. Oh she wish she did.

"Um I was 14 or 15 I think and at one of my theory classes at Julliard I met this girl called Ella; she was an amazing pianist, an extremely inteligent person and the sweetest girl I had ever known. She was always dressed in black, from head to toes, always wore boots and always had long earrings hanging from her ears, God she was beautiful!" Regina smiled at the remembrance of her first love. "Thanks to her I realized I was gay, I guess. I was never interested in men but she was the first woman I ever felt so strongly for. We were great friends for many years"

"Did you ever date her?" Emma asked, intrigued.

"No" the brunette shook her head. "She was just my friend and the love of my life. She was... in love with her piano teacher"

"Ouch" Emma said.

"I know, so unfortunate. For her more than for me! She was crazy for the woman, and I don't blame her, her piano teacher is probably one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, plus, she is the most amazing pianist I have ever heard playing live"

"Wow, she sounds like one of those teachers all the students are dead for"

"She is. Someday she plays you must come with me and see! She's polish so I've been trying to sort of make friends with her for her to help me with the Chopin admission process"

"And what was of Ella?" Emma asked, still unable to understand how anyone could deny such a beautiful woman as Regina.

"She is in Warsaw, living the dream. I have her to blame for by obsession Martha Argerich and Warsaw"

Emma laughed at this.

"What was of Lily?" Regina then asked.

They stayed in the cafe for a much longer time, going on and on with the question-question game. They even ended up having lunch in the place. At 4:00 pm Emma excused herself, she had to finish an essay due the next day and she still had a way to go. They promised to call each other during the week to go out together again.

Regina really, _really_ liked Emma.


	5. A day in the life

**AN:** I have finished high school year at long last! I still have one month left of music school, but this feels great!

I hope you enjoy and please review/favorite/follow because that makes me want to write more. Any writing mistakes are mine so, I'm sorry if anything bothers you, you're completely welcome to blame me. Once again thanks for reading! Any doubt on any music terminology or name of an important figure I might use on this chapter or later, my PM and my tumblr ask box are always open.

Note that there are also many made up names.

* * *

Chapter 5: A bit of music, a not so pleasant experience and a bit of something else.

Emma was just waking up when her phone rang, loudly sounding the _Rocky Horror Picture Show_'s song _Science Fiction_, she immediately jumped out of her bed and ran out of the dorm room, she didn't want to wake her roommate who was still soundly asleep. Note to self: Put cellphone on silent on weekend mornings.

She slid her finger across her phone's screen to answer the call. "Hello?" she said, leaning on the balcony.

_"Hello, Emma?"_ she heard a deep voice from the other end of the phone. _"It's Regina Mills. Sorry, did I wake you up?"_

Emma smiled. "No, I was already awake, what's up?"

_"I was wondering if..."_ Regina started and gave a small pause. _"Any plans for today?"_

"No, not really, why?"

_"There's this concert I'm kind of entitled to go to, this pretty nice singing trio of Julliard at 12, and I was wondering if you would maybe want to go with me?"_ Regina asked. _"I know you're not much into classical but I'd like to see you and don't really feel like going alone"_

"If you say they're good I believe you" Emma answered with confidence. "And anyways I have to expand my horizons, right? And you're my friend so maybe next time I'll take you somewhere you're not used to"

She heard Regina let out a breath she probably had been holding. _"Sure, thank you so much Emma"_

"Do I have to get dolled up?" she asked.

_"No, I mean, don't go in your pijamas or that red leather jacket. But you don't have to take that pink dress out today"_

"Hey!" Emma exclaimed, pretending to be offended. "My leather jacket is cool!"

Regina laughed lightly. _"Can I see you at 11 in your dorm room's building?"_

"Sure"

And she hung up.

Emma went for jeans and a geometrical blouse: black, white and blue. After she had showered and brushed her teeth, she slipped her cellphone inside her right pocket and her keys and wallet inside her jacket's inside pocket, she couldn't prive herself from the comfort of leather, but to please her friend she had chosen black instead of red. She said goodbye and wished a good day to her roomate to finally go out of her room and arrive at the building's front door at 11 sharp. At almost the exact same time she was getting out of the door, a sound of clicking steps was crossing the street to join her.

"What the hell?" she said eyeing her friend's attire when they were finally facing each other. "Do you ever just not dress well?"

Regina smiled at her. "You've only seen me two days and a concert day, you have no idea!" she answered teasingly.

"But what the hell! You said I didn't have to get dolled up and you get here with bright red lipstick, silver earrings, super classy black top and jeans and... are those designer shoes!?"

"Just black shoes with red soles" Regina brushed off. "Can we leave and not complain of what I'm wearing? We have to be at Lincoln Centre before 12"

"What ever, but when your feet are killing you I will not be responsable for your sins"

Regina rolled her eyes. "My feet are all right, Emma. Let's go, please?"

They walked to the metro station in comfortable silence and when they finally sat on the train Emma talked again. "So... what are they singing?"

"Schubert" Regina answered.

Emma nodded slowly. "Right, Schubert, love Schubert" she lied.

The brunette laughed at her and gently pushed her shoulder. "You don't even know who Schubert is! You don't have to lie when you're with me, okay? I am more than pleased to teach you a bit about this."

"Okay, sorry" Emma apologized, feeling silly for having lied to the pianist.

"Schubert was a classical-romantic austrian composer from the late 18th, early 19th century. He is the most known for his vocal works, he has more than 600 songs, mainly Lieder so... talk about production. Lieder are basically vocal works based on poems for one singer that is accompanied by a pianist. I'm guessing they will perform some arrangement of some Lieder for three voices"

"Okay, cool! Do you like Schubert?"

Regina shrugged. "He's okay, I guess, not my favorite at all. I really love some of his Lieder, his song cycles and his chamber music, his solo piano works are just fine -except for his Sonatas which can be amazing if well played-. I'm not really big on playing him, which sucks, though I may want to perform the _Winterreise _song cycle sometime in the future"

Emma chuckled. "Music is so much more complex than I thought, it's not just some notes and a listener, right?"

"No, not at all"

They arrived at the Julliard auditorium at about 11:40 and Emma was blown away by the amount of people of all ages that interrupted their catching up to greet or talk to Regina, she seemed to be well known inside Julliard as well as well loved. At 12:00 they were asked together with many other people to take their seats, shut their cellphones and keep silent as a form of respect to the artists performing. Emma quickly read through her programme and found out Regina's guess had been right, but when she was about to tell her the auditorium filled with clapping, and she had to follow.

Her jaw dropped when the trio of singers came on stage: Chins high, chests out, they looked incredibly tall and filled the enormous stage with their flashy dresses and huge smiles full of pride. One couldn't say the same about the pianist behind them, who looked as if he only wanted to be able to go sit behind his black beast of an instrument.

Emma really liked the concert, it certainly was something she wasn't expecting and something completely new. The audience hadn't cheered as much as it had when Regina had played in Carnegie Hall but judging from the general response they were just as good as she had thought they were. They went out of the auditorium but headed to the lounge of the place, where a sort of reception was being held.

Emma was the most impressed by the singers' self than their music, if all singers were like that then she needed to become a singer because she could use some of all that confidence.

"Singers rule the world" Regina told her, apparently reading her mind. "Or at least they certainly think they do and they act on it, I love it. Pianists are generally the opposite to singers, as you probably saw on that stage, poor Kevin is quite intimidated by them, but he's great"

A male waiter dressed in a black suit approached them, offering them some sparkling drink, Regina took one regally and bowed her head as a form of appreciation, Emma imitated in a way clumsier manner.

"Why wasn't there one of these at your concert?" Emma asked, referring to the reception.

"My concert was just a regular concert in the big world, just another off-season performance, as it is with the New York Symphony and that's it. This is Juilliard showing off it's singing department, so they pay for this with the budget they have saved for this kind of stuff, and also to give the fortunate three the chance to talk to some people, maybe get a scholarship or funding for a bigger concert or be chosen to play -in this case sing- next time in Carnegie. I was picked thanks to something like this. The concert is only a pretext to get to do this"

"Oh, cool! So there are some important people here today coming to see if they're interested in the ladies"

"Yes" Regina nodded. "Or in Kevin, as an accompanying pianist"

"Wow, awesome then, I wish they did something like this in Columbia"

Regina smiled at her and with her free hand asked her to follow her through the packed hall, away from the food and drinks tables and near to more people who were more interested in conversation rather than stuffing their mouths with fancy snacks and beverages. Not much later, someone called Regina's name.

Emma turned around to face the person who owned the lips her friend's name had come out of and was surprised to find one of the three singers she had previously seen on stage, if she wasn't wrong it was the woman who had sang the highest notes.

"What a beautiful concert, Malleficent" Regina told the woman in the sparkly black dress. "You know I am very fond of Schubert's Lieder and had never heard them be sang in three voices"

"Thank you" the woman said proudly, straightening her back even more to make the few centimeters Regina was smaller than her thanks to the heeled shoes increase considerably.

Regina smiled tightly and extended her arm, making her companion of the day approach the singer. "Malleficent, Emma; Emma, Malleficent" she intoduced them.

Emma was about to answer she was pleased to meet the other woman but as soon as she opened her mouth she was interrupted. "Another blonde to play with and then toss to the trash can, Regina?" the tallest woman asked inquisitively with poison in her every word. Emma backed off a single step.

"Excuse me?" Regina asked with a firm voice.

"Be careful Emma. It is all love and roses in the beginning, but the truth is all she wants is sex, so don't fall in love"

"Please don't make a scene Malleficent, I thought we had gotten past this" the brunette, cold faced, pointed behind the singer with her left hand index. "The conductor of the MET Opera is talking to Ursula and Cruella, unless you want to keep giving concerts here for what is left of your career I suggest you go"

The angry blond eyed the challenging brunette one last time and with heavy steps walked all the way to where the other members of her trio were standing, putting a mask on and immediately changing her attitude back to the proud and happy singer. Career before everything else, that was all music was about according to what Emma had seen to that point.

Regina also changed her whole attitude the second Malleficent's eyes weren't on her, clearly only wanting to brush it off and let it be, but Emma wasn't allowing that at all. "Care to explain?" she asked lightly.

Regina bit her bottom lip but nodded with care and after a few seconds of thinking finally decided to talk. "So... my last real relationship was about two years ago with this girl called Danielle -whom I can save for another conversation if you wish-, so yes, I was twenty years old in my last relationship and I guess since then I just haven't had the chance, the need or the interest in having an actual relationship, I guess I have been so invested in _this_" she said flapping her hands around trying to explain her career without words, "that I don't feel like it and also I am waiting for a girl that I find one-thousand percent worth it. But I'm not going to prive myself from the opportunity of having an active sex life just because I am not invested in someone so I have been going to bars and I pick up one night stands and that's it, every girl is well informed of the situation before and I never see any of them again. So one of the first was Malleficent, I had absolutely no conversation with her, met her in a bar, but the morning after I found out she also studied at Julliard and she was trying to get my number and she called me and texted me because she said she knew what the situation was but that she had fallen for me. And she's not over it, and she does this every time she sees me with a girl"

"So... is she right about me? I mean, am I one more girl to fuck and leave?" Emma asked.

"No!" Regina said offended, because Emma was _the_ girl, the one she wanted to take on dates not just one more one night stand, but she couldn't say that. "I would have taken you home the day of the concert and never seen you again, you are my friend, or I want you to be my friend"

Emma smiled at her. "Okay"

"Did you like the concert?" the pianist asked.

"It was pretty cool, do you think they will get the scholarship or concert or something?"

"I think... the MET Opera conductor is looking for singers and they might be the ones" Regina said. "The MET Opera is one of the most important opera companies in the world"

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm not that stupid, you know? I live in New York, I know what the MET Opera is, but don't you need to like finish studying for that?"

"They're a bit older than us. I think 24 turning 25, which means they're out of Julliard this year, partly why they _needed_ to do this today. They're out in the real world in a couple months and they can really use a job, and the MET needs new faces, and they're great"

The pair of friends stayed a bit longer in the reception: less time than Emma would have liked, more than Regina had wished for. They talked about their lives in the past few days and were constantly interrupted by people who wanted to meet Regina or simply say hello to Regina. Emma was having a blast meeting all the people, she had always thought that classical music was for boring, uptight people; she had been wrong, sure these people cared a lot about their careers and talked about it extensively but they were the most down to earth, open, amazing group of people she had met in a long while. Kevin the pianist had even invited them to a party! She thought Regina wasn't as happy to be there because of the Malleficent situation, so when the brunette asked her if she wanted to leave and go grab lunch somewhere she had no doubt to say yes, so her friend would be happy.

They went to a small diner just around the corner from Lincoln Centre on one of the small streets that Regina said many Julliard students would have lunch at as it was cheap, good and very near the school. The place was called Granny's and as soon as they got in Emma thought it was the homiest place she had ever been to, only from looks The Hungarian Pastry Shop had gone down to her second favorite place, too bad Lincoln Centre wasn't as close to Columbia because if she could she would have changed her take away food place right away.

They sat on a booth and silently read the menus that had been placed on top of the table, a short minute after, a woman stood next to the table to ask for their order, Emma wasn't exactly ready so she didn't look up at first but when she heard the "Good afternoon Miss. Mills, can I take your order?" her head shot up so fast she swore with a little less care she could have broken her neck.

"Granny Beverly?" she asked astonished, looking at the Diner's owner.

"Emma Swan!" the old woman exclaimed cheerfully and leaned to hug her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with Regina, she brought me, we were at a concert in Julliard earlier today. I didn't know this was your diner! Ruby always said about your diner but never brought us"

"Yeah well" the woman said with a light southern accent. "I guess Ruby doesn't feel very nostalgic about the place because when she was a teen she spent all her free time working here, and well it's not that near from Columbia either. I didn't know you knew Miss. Mills"

Regina turned her head upon the mention of her name, taking her eyes off the menu she had suddenly become extremely interested in. "We met two weeks ago. Emma went to a thing her friend Belle participated in and we met" the pianist said.

"Regina's concert" Emma said.

"Oh! I heard that on the radio, quite brilliant young lady" Granny said.

"Thank you" Regina said with a small smile. Regina appreciated all the congratulations and nice comments she was receivning after the concert, it had been the best day of her life, but she was a bit bothered by some of the non-musical comments, because she felt as if all her hard work was being taken for granted, people talked about it as if it was some kind of magic that Regina had made because she was some kind of gifted being, when the reality was that she had killed herself studying hours and hours for years and years. But she couldn't blame them, instead she smiled and brushed it off politely.

Regina and Emma talked about their week's adventures, Regina appreciated Emma didn't want to talk about the concert and she interested engaged a conversation. When they finished eating, they asked for the bill but were received by the answer "it's on the house" and were forced to leave the establishment before they were able to complain or take out their wallets.

They happily walked back to Lincoln Centre where when they were about to get inside the metro station Emma stopped her friend. "You don't have to take me home. I'd love you to, don't take me wrong, but I'm sure Columbia just takes you out of your way, you probably have stuff to do and I don't want to get in the way"

If it were any other day, Regina would ignore the blonde and accompany her to her dorm anyway, but she had classes on monday she hadn't worked for all week long and after dropping Emma off she was going to return to Julliard, so she nodded. "Yes, I do have things to do today. But text me when you're home, okay?"

"Sure, let's hang some other time in the week, I'll call you. There's also Kevin's party next friday, so we must also go to that" Emma said.

"I'm only going to that for you, parties at Kevin's aren't really my thing"

Emma rolled her eyes but smiled at the young pianist. "What ever, he seems cool. I must leave like now, so see you later" with this the blonde turned around leaving Regina standing in the middle of the patio, watching her dissapear down the stairs.

After she could see no more of Emma, Regina walked to Julliard, where she got a practice room key to go to work on her classes, about half an hour into her studying her cellphone buzzed, making the piano's wood vibrate soundly, she took it and saw the small lighted screen. There was a text from Emma, that she read with a smile on her face.

_"Dorm, sweet dorm. I'm listening to some intense Schubert right now, I think it might help to write my awesome essay!"_

It had been a very good day.

* * *

**AN:** I hope you guys enjoyed that! If you are curious and want to listen to some Schubert I suggest you listen to my favorite works by him which are the song cycles: Winterreise (which was mentioned my Regina), Die schöne Müllerin and Schwanengesang. These are not what the Queens of Darkness sang, as the song cycles are written for male singers, I didn't really think of whan works specifically they may have sang, but you can always look for Schubert Lied for Soprano, Mezzosoprano or any other female voice type you can think of.

Hopefully, next update will come soon.

Much love,

-Lily Rickman


	6. Verbier

**AN:** I have nothing to say to explain better why I haven't written in ages, except for: I never have time. I'm sorry this is short and late and rushed but I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 6: Verbier.

Regina Mills woke up and found herself laying in a very bad position on her living room's couch, all night long she had been dreaming about a pair of green eyes, wavy blonde hair and a horrible leather jacket that she had a hard time admitting she actually really liked. She didn't know when she had fallen asleep and she didn't remember how she had ended up on her couch, over a book that held in it's pages a recopilation of Ernest Hemingway's short stories.

She rubbed her crusty eyes and yawned as she checked the time on her phone. "Shit!" she exclaimed as she jumped off her couch and ran to change into decent clothes. It was already 8 am and she had a class starting 8 am. The young pianist had probably never been ready and out in the street in such short time in her entire life, but it was what she had to do if she wanted the day to fo right in that particular monday.

Thankfully, her house was near enough of Julliard and she was panting outside her usual classroom at 8:15 sharp, she got in and was greeted by her teacher as of it were the right time and is if her physical condition was appropriate, her teacher was usually like that. He smiled at her and welcomed her to seat on the chair to have the class begin.

All she could think about was blonde locks and green eyes. She played the key E instead of the key E-flat for the fifth time, she immediately took her hands off the keyboard as if it would burn her and exhaled with exasperation, when she felt a little better a short three-second-interval later she put her hands on the piano again to start playing Bach's beautiful Second English Suite again: her first three notes sounded horrible and just as she was about to start one last time her teacher grabbed her forearm with strength not allowing her to move anymore.

"Regina, relax please, you're doing everything wrong" Professor Abramovich said from his red seat next to her and released her arm.

Regina shifted her position to seat looking at the man, she crossed her legs and took a deep breath. "I know, I'm sorry, I can't concentrate"

"But it's Bach, Regina" he said in a concerned tone.

"I know, I really can't concentrate today, I don't know where my mind is at" she answered, it had only been 15 minutes of class and she hadn't been able to play anything right.

"Close the piano and grab one of the red chairs" her teacher ordered.

Regina did as she was asked: She closed the black lid delicately and sat in front of her teacher on one of the red chairs that were all over Julliard (and apparently every single music school in the world). Once she was seated her teacher smiled at her and leaned back on his chair to start a conversation in a more comfortable position. "So I was going to wait until the end of the class to tell you this but as we seem to be getting nowhere today I'll tell you now"

"Yes?" Regina asked nervous of what her teacher had for her.

"I already told you that day, but I just have to say again that you did the most amazing job in the concert. And I mean this, not only because I'm your teacher, but it was the best interpretation of the 21 I have ever seen live" the russian man said in a serious manner. "I must also say I was extremely impressed in the points outside of the magnifficent interpretation: There wasn't a single note, or articulation, or sound instruction, or anything from the paper wrong; I don't know how you did it, but it was absolutely perfect. There is no other word to describe it"

Regina smiled shyly, with the biggest sense of pride in the whole universe. "Thank you so much, you know I would be nowhere near where I am today without your help"

"Oh, you would! You'd be right where you are, just in another classroom with another teacher. Regina, you probably are the most talented and hard working pianist in this whole school. Now the thing I wanted to tell you..." he cleared his throat. "Valery Gergiev was at the concert, he is in america hoping to find fresh young musicians for the next Verbier"

Regina's lungs shut for a second and she felt a billion butterflies fly around in her suddenly hurting stomach. "What?" she said in disbelief.

"He reached out to Gold, who reached out to me. Gergiev wants you on Verbier, but you will need to audition in about two months together with the other young musicians he picks out, nothing is certain yet but he really wants you there and he needs a confirmation"

Regina still couldn't believe her ears: Valery Gergiev, one of the world's finest conductors had heard her play and wanted her for his amazing music festival, this was mad, what kind of person would even _think_ of turning down an opportunity like this? "I would be an idiot if I didn't take Maestro Gergiev's offer, it's Verbier! It's the one festival I look forward to the most every year. All the greats of today have been and will be there, even just going to listen is the greatest honor!"

"So is it a yes?" the man asked, smiling.

"Are you kidding me, sir?" Regina laughed lightly as her vision went blurry. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and a thousand times yes"

* * *

_Two hours later..._

Regina Mills felt as if she could do anything and everything, if today wasn't the craziest, most amazing day of her life, she didn't know what day then. What had happened was completely surreal, and if she had been of Valery Gergiev's liking, she sure could make a particular young blonde her's.

Walking through Julliard, from her classroom to the door, was a complete hassle that day: All she wanted to do was to go inside the subway to get to Columbia's dorm rooms 600 West 166th street as soon as possible. She made her way almost not thinking about anything, she went inside the building's door having been let in by a complete stranger with perhaps too much ease, she went up to the desired floor and knocked on the desired door. After a short wait she was received by a petite pixie-haired young woman that she quickly recognized as one of Emma's friends.

"Oh hey! It's Emma's pianist friend David!" the woman said.

"Hi" Regina said forcing a smile as the woman's handsome boyfriend approached the door to say hello. "Do you guys know where Emma is? I uh... need to talk to her?"

The couple nodded.

"Where is she?" Regina asked.

"Bathroom, changing to go to class, you can come in and knock on her door" the small woman said, pulling Regina inside and locking the dorm's door, making the room show it's ridiculous size.

The couple sat on one bed and continued the homework they had left on hold to let Regina in, Regina knocked the bathroom's door. "Hello, Emma?" she said.

"Regina!" she heard the beautiful, excited voice from inside. "Come in, I'm somewhat decent"

The young pianist opened the door shyly and met with a foggy heat inside. She closed the door behind her and saw Emma in sweatpants towel drying her hair, she thought the vision was adorable. She approached her friend and smiled at her. "Hey"

"What are you doing here in a week day so early?" Emma asked her.

"I wanted to talk to you"

"Luckily we are in 2015 and we have cellphones, you genius, no need to come all the way to Columbia" the blonde said mockingly.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Well good to see you too..."

"I'm just kidding, Regina. I'm happy to see you here but make it short because I have class in half an hour. Tell me all your secrets!"

The brunette smiled, caring to not be seen. "I got invited to the most amazing music festival, by the most amazing conductor alive because he went to the Mozart concert" she said.

Emma gasped and jumped to hug Regina. "That is amaaaaaaaaaziiiiiiiiiiinggggggggggg!" she exclaimed with the amount of excitement a kid has when he gets what he asked for in Christmas. "I'm so not going to class and instead celebrating with you somehow. We now _must_ go Kevin's party on friday"

"You can't miss class for this!"

Emma made herself look offended and put a hand on her chest. "Regina Mills, I can't _not_ miss class for this"

Emma and Regina went out of the damp, hot bathroom after one more minute that it took for the blonde to brush her long hair, they grabbed Emma's back pack and said goodbye to the young and studious couple to finally go out of the dorm and head to The Hungarian Pastry Shop, which seemed to be the only place Emma knew of all of New York.

There, Regina explained to Emma what the opportunity actually meant: She told her who Valery Gergiev was and what Verbier was, making sure to not miss out on telling her that 'the amazing Martha Argerich' was a regular in the festival. They talked for about two hours during which Emma asked a ton of questions that Regina happily answered. Between the many music oriented parts of their conversation, Regina was able to find out that the class that Emma was skipping for her was_ Analysis of American Poetry_, which apparently was an obligatory course that the blonde didn't really care for.

The two young women could have stayed talking all day long, but when Emma Swan saw her phone at 2:30 pm she had to excuse herself as her favorite class (_Creative Writing_) started in half an hour time and she couldn't afford to miss that. They said goodbye to eachother and promised to call during the week, to set an hour to meet on friday to go to pianist Kevin's party.

Regina walked back to the subway and then from her station badk home, not even nearly as excited as she had been just a couple of hours before. When she got to her apartment she threw herself on her bed and sighed audibly, before she could get more comfortable her phone rang.

"Hello?" she picked up with no motivation whatsoever.

_"I am going to kill you, Regina Mills"_ she heard her best friend's piercing voice through the line. _"Verbier Festival auditions and you can't even think of calling your best friend, or your manager to talk about it! And in thos case I am both. Instead you dissapear out of Julliard and I have to be informed by your lovely teacher! You didn't even tell your mother, she is going to chop your head off, she is so excited"_

"Kathryn I can't think of Verbier right now"

_"What do you mean you can't think of Verbier right now? Where even were you all this time you didn't call me or your mother?"_ Kathryn kept torturing her.

"Columbia University"

_"What?"_

"Col-"

_"I heard you" _Kathryn insisted, Regina could picture her rolling her eyes. "_What on earth were you doing at Columbia?"_

Regina shook her head and sat up. "Nothing, just forget it"

_"What are you auditioning with?" _Kathryn was good at pushing not-work-relevant information aside when needed.

"I'd like English Suite 2 and maybe something from the Well Tempered Clavier, but I don't know, I'm not sure"

_"Abramovich told me Gold told him Maestro Gergiev told him that he might want to listen something of each main period so a baroque, a classical, a romantic and a twentieth century. I don't know if it's true but I think it makes sense"_

"I don't know Kathryn, I need to think a bit more, can't we talk about this tomorrow? Actually, can't we talk about this when we have a clearer repertoire requirement?"

_"I think it makes sense to have at least an idea from today, Gergiev may want you but he isn't the only person in charge of Verbier's performan-",_ the line was silent for a few seconds, "_oh my God" _the 32 year old woman Regina called her best friend's voice finally came in, sounding as if she had just had an epiphany.

"What?" Regina asked, confused.

_"Emma Swan, that's her name isn't it?"_

"Pardon me?"

Another small silence.

_"Emma Swan, that blonde from the concert you've been seeing lately, she studies at Columbia doesn't she?"_

Regina was perplex at her friend's memory and remained silent.

_"You like her"_ her friend said in the exact same tone an excited highschool girl would have used._ "You like Emma Swan!"_


	7. Kevin's Party

Chapter 7: Kevin's Party

The bow made an ugly cat-like noise when being violently rubbed against the cello's A string by his owner's firm arm. The pianist's cellphone was ringing for the third time since the start of rehearsal and the very proffesional August Booth was sick of the buzzing interrupting the music he so dearly loved.

"I'm sorry... I swear my phone never rings when I'm in school, it must be important, can I come back in a second?" Regina apologized to the violinist and the cellist that had asked her to play Beethoven's_ 'Ghost Trio' _with them.

After being granted a quick permission she got out of the wide practice room and answered her phone. "Hello?"

_"Regina! You answered, thank God, I thought I'd miss you"_ she heard a very familiar voice say through the speaker.

"Emma, hello, I'm at school and I have a rehearsal that will still run for about two hours, but I can speak for a little if you need me"

_"Oh, right, sorry... see today is Kevin's party and we had planned to go together, so I'm free of classes today and I'm at Granny's so I thought we could spend the rest of the day and then go do that"_

Regina bit her bottom lip trying to hide a smile that blossomed despite her huge effort to keep a straight face. "Right, there's that. Look, as I said I'm stuck here in rehearsal but as soon as this is over I'll head home, so why don't you go to my apartment and in some hours I can see you there, I'll text you my adress and my door man will be sure to let you in" she said easily.

_"Okay..." _Emma answered_. "Just like that? Your man will let me in?"_

Regina laughed lightly. "Just like that, just say your name and he'll know"

_"Cool, uh, see you then, good luck!" _Emma hung up.

Regina texted Emma her adress as promised and told Sydney about the blond and about having to let her in, she then headed back to the practice room to continue to work with the two other musicians that were waiting for her.

"Bar 74?" the violinist Graham Humbert asked, with a nod the other two parts of the trio agreed and after a collective breath the music continued where it had been left.

Regina really loved Beethoven's Trios and the _Ghost_ was one of her favorites, she also respected Graham and August as musicians, but playing chamber music with people she didn't know very well wasn't something she particularly enjoyed; she also didn't know how to say no when someone she didn't know very well requested her help for a music project. Graham and August were a very talented violin and cello duo that had once formed a trio with a pianist called Will who had left Julliard some months before to go to Vienna, they had already promised a concert featuring the _Ghost Trio _for the end of the semester chamber music concert so when the date was near and they had no pianist they had asked Regina for help as they knew she was a very compromised and talented musician. This was their first and probably one of two rehearsals before the concert, so Regina understood their anger towards the constant interruption her cellphone was being.

After a total of three hours of rehearsal the trio started to sound almost acceptable, which meant that with a single more rehearsal together and some home studying it would be ready to be well played at the concert with sufficient ease. The two young men thanked Regina, and after promising to keep her phone calm for next time she ran out of Julliard to meet with she who was waiting for her at her lovely appartment, that now sounded three times lovelier than in the daily.

Regina got to her building's lobby, where Sydney kindly notified her of Emma's previous arrival, she went up to her floor and got to her appartment where she was received by Emma's voice loudly shouting at her from deeper inside the flat.

"Regina Mills how big is this thing? And frickin' SoHo, really?" she heard the blonde's voice say.

She laughed, left her bags on a couch, took her shoes off and answered back. "Pretty big"

"Understatement of the century?" Emma asked mockingly, coming out of Regina's main bathroom. "This apartment is bigger than any house I've ever gone to in my life, your bathroom is like the size of my dorm! Are you rich Regina?"

Regina felt really uncomfortable any time anyone started to talk money, but this time she shrugged and sat on the couch. "My mother is" she said.

Emma threw herself to sit next to her while she said "Right, your mom is like a dancer, I read that on your bio resume for the concert"

"Ex-prima ballerina of New York City Ballet, touring soloist, coreographer and her father was the co-founder of the company so all the money from that goes directly to her" she explained. "She bought me this appartment when my practicing became way too much for her to handle, I don't complain of course because I am much better on my own. I think she resents me for being a musician and not a dancer, but you know, you do you and this is what I do, and what I love"

Emma smiled at her, and oh did Regina love that smile, it had been two months since she had met the blonde and she couldn't believe just how much more beautiful she seemed every day that passed.

"Hey, let's get ready for that party" Emma said excited, and she pulled Regina from her sitting spot, dragging her to her bedroom to get changed.

* * *

At 9 pm Emma and Regina got to Kevin's and rang the bell, the party had already been started an hour before so they could hear talking and soft music playing from inside the pretty Brooklyn house. The two friends had gotten dressed for the night and then had eaten together in Regina's kitchen some takeaway Emma had taken from Granny's, they had caught up in their lives, explored Regina's house and finally gotten out of the door with enough time to arrive at Brooklyn when the party was started but not too late; everything had gone the way it had been planned.

"Regina!" Kevin excitedly greeted her as soon as he opened his door.

"Hello Kevin!" Emma said from behind, knowing her friend wouldn't answer if she didn't say something before.

"Oh hi, Regina's nice friend, do come in both of you, I think you might be the last ones to arrive today!" he let them in and closed the door. "Make yourselves at home, everyone's in the living room"

The pair walked to the living room while Kevin went upstairs, Emma let herself be lead by Regina who had been there before and loved every bit of the house she was able to see. In the living room she saw 9 other people seated on chairs and couches, most of them with bottles or red plastic cups between their hands.

"Regina!" a little blonde woman that reminded Emma of Disney's Tinkerbell greeted her friend, making everyone turn around to look at them.

"Hello everyone, this is Emma, she's a friend and she's a literature major" Regina introduced her, "and Emma these are: Rose, who plays the harp; Graham, violinist; August, cellist; Malleficent, Ursula and Cruella, singers; Aurora, pianist; Phillip, precussionist; and Robin, singer too"

"Hello Emma" came a general greeting.

"Hi" Emma said shyly.

"Come sit here girls, we have plenty space. Belle and Killian are missing but as you see we already are drinking a bit, want anything?" the man introduced as Robin said.

"I'm fine, thank you" Regina said, sitting next to Rose and hugging her warmly, which made Emma sting a little in her stomach.

"What do you have?" Emma asked quickly.

August, who was sitting near an icebox answered looking inside it. "Beer, vodka, water, juice and that's pretty much it"

"Beer will do" Emma said and then grabbed a beer bottle that was handed to her, proceeding to sit next to Regina.

"So Emma" Rose said. "Literature... what brings you to a mad musician party?"

"Regina" she answered.

"Right, but what made you become friends with her? How did you end up in a room filled with classical musicians on a Friday night?" the girl (that now irritated Emma a little) asked her, while with what Emma felt was complete cinisism she stroked Regina's hands between her's.

"I have a friend who is a violinist, I think she's coming today actually, Belle, and she played at Regina's concert, I met Regina then and we became friends then"

"Oh that's cool!" Graham said. "Belle's brilliant, she arrived at New York this year, didn't she? How did you meet her?"

"Another friend of mine, Ruby, met her some years ago at a bar... we've been friends ever since and see her whenever she comes to NY, we were thrilled that she was moving to study at Julliard" Emma explained.

"She's so good, have you heard her Rose?" he asked the harpist.

Rose shook her head while she rested her hand on Regina's thigh. "No, never solo or even chamber, but I've heard she's stunning and that she plays the Tchaikovsky very well"

"Oh she does" Graham said. "I need to ask her out, is she single Emma?"

Emma was too busy tracking Rose's arms every move, so she simply nodded silently and didn't even notice the handsome violinist's cry of presupposed victory. Emma was quite confused at her heating anger towards the other blonde, little did she know that the reason for it was that she had fallen right and hard for the pianist.

Time passed and even though she was extremely careful with never leaving Rose's moves unattended she had a blast. About half an hour later Belle arrived with Killian Jones, who was a violist and apparently very good friends with Kevin, as well as a very woman-hungry person. Belle was thrilled to see Emma and the feeling was mutual.

That night Emma learnt many things about music and musicians, first of, they knew how to have good fun, second, they never _ever_ stopped thinking about music and 90% of the jokes they did were about it, third, musician parties included classical music being listened to, drunkenly sung and drunkenly played, every one had dragged their instruments with themselves except for those who had instruments too big to be taken with them.

Emma liked every person that she met that day: Graham was a ton of fun and he seemed to be hand and glove with August, they cracked up a bunch of jokes together and she got to see a little bit of the work they had been doing with Regina that morning, the two men were very talented and Emma now knew that if she ever needed to get a party started they would be the first people she would call; Ursula, Malleficent and Cruella were just stunning, as Emma had seen the day of their concert the three singers owned the world and although Malleficent held some grudge towards Regina she was actually a very friendly person, the trio had been the firsts to be mad drunk that day, which made them the funniest scene to look at; Aurora and Phillip reminded Emma of Mary Margaret and David because they were just as ridiculously in love, Phillip was super chill and he had been a great person to talk to during the night, while Aurora was a bit more quiet but seemed to be just as friendly; Robin was quite cocky and just like Killian woman-hungry, but once the twowere drunk they simply were affectionate to one another and sang many pop songs, which was an insane amount of fun; Kevin had come out as a very shy person the first time Emma met him, but once he was with people he knew and trusted he was completely someone else and Emma thought he was very much how she would have been if she had been born a man.

That night Emma also learnt that way too many people had a big crush on Regina: there was Graham, there was Malleficent, there was Robin, there was Kevin and apparently there was Rose too; that was 5 out of 12 people in a room, so almost half the people in that party had a crush on Regina.

Emma would have probably liked Rose if she hadn't been all over Regina all night long, she seemed like a genuinely nice person and she probably was a great musician but so much touching her and hugging her and looking at her the way she did made it impossible for Emma to try to know her in a personal level. Emma had learnt a very significant thing that night at Kevin's and that thing was that she liked Regina mlre than she thought she did and in a way that before she hadn't really thought she did.

At 2 am on saturday Kevin kindly threw his guests to the street, drunk and sober alike and each of them left home their own way. When it was time to say goodbye Rose spent a little too long hugging Regina, gave her a too loving kiss on the cheek and that was enough for Emma.

"Let's go back to Manhattan, Emma" Regina said having stopped a taxi, taking Emma's hand and pulling her inside to sit next to her. "Let's not wake your roomate ok? I have enough bedrooms in my appartment"

Emma nodded and smiled at Regina, when this happened a chill went down the brunette's spine, but obviously the blonde too busy hating Rose in her head didn't get to see the blush that also covered her friend's lightly tanned skin.

"108 Mifflin Street, Manhattan, please" Regina informed the driver.

The ride back to the appartment was a quiet one, both parts too busy thinking about the other and about how lucky they had gotten to be going back home together without knowing they both wanted the same. When the car stopped Regina payed, they got out and then inside the building where they were greetes by Sydney once more, Emma was intrigued by the man and the idea that he worked there 24/7 was something she considered almost unhuman. They went up to the eighth floor and once there they changed into comfortable sleeping clothes, Regina on her own and Emma on a pair borrowed that made her head spin from it's scent. They both sat on the couch that they had chatted on in the previous morning, it was now 3 am.

"Is Rose... your girlfriend?" Emma asked, breaking the long, piercing silence and covering up her anger well enough.

Regina laughed lightly. "No, Emma I'm single, she's just a very good friend I don't see often, why?"

"She just..." Emma took a deep breath and decided to let it all out. "She was all touchy and flirty all night, and she kept holding your hands and fixing your hair that fell to your face, and looking at you in a certain way, and placing her hands on your thighs, and hugging you, and keeping you all for herself, and laughing with you, and when she said hello to you, and when she said goodbye to you, and-" she was interrupted by her name coming from Regina's voice. She looked up and found the brunette half smiling at her with her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Shut up and kiss me" Regina finally said.

For a second that seemed to go on forever Emma sat stunned, looking at the gorgeous woman sitting in front of her that had just said that short phrase, _shut up and kiss me_. Emma then reached for Regina's face as fast as she could and crashed her lips against the brunette's making time stop immediately.

Regina was breathless, she couldn't believe what was happening, she parted her lips and teased the blonde with her toungue, managing to enter her mouth; she tasted a little bit like alcohol but after that like all she had ever imagined heaven could taste like, she deepened the kiss and she soon found herself tackling Emma to put her back on the couch, she sucked the blonde's bottom lip and released it with an audible pop.

"Rose is straight" she told Emma, and then closed the short space between their lips to continue tasting that small heaven and to finally satisfy her lust.

* * *

**AN: **I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!


	8. Never Fall In Love With A Musician

Chapter 8: Never fall in love with a musician

Emma woke up to the sound of music coming from what she thought was the direction of the living room, she stretched and sat up in bed looking around her: Regina really had a very nice room and a very comfortable bed. More importantly Regina was hot, very hot, and Regina had kissed her the night before, more like Regina had demanded to be kissed and Emma couldn't say no. They had kissed long and heated the night before, but when things started getting a little bit too heated the pianist had cut off the kiss and walked down to her bedroom, wishing Emma a good night. After she had calmed her horny a bit Emma invited herself to Regina's bed and was welcomed, but there was no more that night.

Emma walked out of the bedroom and followed the music until she got to the living room, where Regina was seated, fully dressed and already showered, in front of one of the pianos. Emma sat on one couch and listened closely until Regina was finished, the woman really had an amazing talent. "Morning" she said.

"Morning" Regina greeted back, smiling at her.

"What time is it?" Emma asked.

Regina shrugged and stood from her chair to go sit next to Emma. "Something around eight and nine" she answered.

"Have you been up for long?"

"I usually wake up at seven, so I'm guessing about an hour or two. Slept well?" the brunette asked, smiling.

"Yeah, thanks, so did you wake up and come straight here?" Emma didn't even see herself properly walking at such early hours, less even playing an instrument that required all possible mental focus.

"I did, I usually do that. I have an eleven am class, so I don't really get much time to study at any other time in the day and I need to be warmed up when I get to Julliard"

"Wow, musicians huh?" Emma said genuinely impressed.

Regina laughed lightly at the blonde's reaction. "Yes, you saw us yesterday in full blown action, all day every day it's about music..."

"So... you'll be busy all day long?" Emma asked, hoping the answer was something that gave her the certainty to be with Regina that particular Saturday.

"I'm done with classes at 1pm but I'll have to eat at Julliard as I have some rehearsals plan

* * *

ned at 3pm and really need to test-play some pianos for a performance next week. I guess I'll be home by 8pm the earliest" Regina said as she walked towards the kitchen to make herself some breakfast, Emma followed her. "Do you want to eat anything?"

Emma shook her head thanking the offer and lying about an unexistant breakfast plan with an unexistant friend called Jennifer that she reccurrently used in lies. She couldn't show herself so hurt or even so needy when the only sexual/romantic interaction she had ever had with the pianist had been the night before with a couple of mililiters of alcohol in their blood streams.

Regina took out a tupperwear with chopped fruit in it and served herself a big bowl that she started eating while standing leaning on her kitchen's counter, which made her perfectly formed bottom pop out, making Emma's breath hard to manage. She ate in silence, one bite after the other, purposely teasing Emma by swaying her hips and slowly and taking a little too long on every sensual bite. After about ten minutes of that Regina stood straight, left her plate on the sink and proceeded to walk out of the room. "I'm going to finish getting ready and then I'm leaving" she announced. "If you change your opinion about having breakfast you can help yourself to anything there is inside this kitchen"

Regina walked back to her room, where she brushed her teeth and hair, put shoes and makeup on and grabbed a bag full of books and notebooks to take to school; she went then to the living room where she grabbed more books from the piano, which she put inside her bag, and she emptied her handbag from the previous night in her school bag. Everything seemed to be right, it was 10am sharp. She grabbed her keys and phone from her coffee table and went inside the kitchen one last time to find Emma looking outside the window to the New York skyline. "I'm leaving, you can shower and be here as long as you need, is that alright?"

Emma nodded without turning around and so Regina turned the other side, clicking her heels to get out of her apartment, when she was about to close the door a hand stopped her move, she looked up to find a pair of emmerald eyes staring at her. "When can I see you again?" Emma asked her.

Regina stopped to think for a second, but freed her hand to close the door, as she did she replied. "I'll call you later"

* * *

As soon as Regina was inside the elevator the strange being that had been in charge of her every move since Emma had appeared that morning left her to herself and to her thoughts of hatred towards her own actions. All that she could have wanted to do had not worked out, had simply not come out. Instead of kissing the girl of her dreams good morning she had dryly dissmissed her, instead of immediately asking the blonde to accompany her to Julliard for the day she had recited her schedule with no real purpose and instead of immediately arranging a date she had ran out of her own house, seeming unwanting of Emma's presence. Way to go. The only true thing that had been said had been that she wasn't home until late, which meant that if she wanted to call Emma now it'd be until late at night, as if it were of any help now, the girl was going out with someone else anyways. Stupid, stupid Regina; was all she could say to herself.

She passed Sidney's booth without even saying good morning and she walked all the way to Julliard reprimanding herself for her unintentioned stupidity. She went inside Julliard's front door and as soon as she was in all possible worries washwd off as she listened to her school's music-filled corridor, it was 10:45 and she had just enough time to get to her classroom calmly. Her saturday 11am class was one of her all time favorite classes, it was a two hour long music history class that she also took on mondays and wednesdays, it was the heaviest music history course you could take as an interpretation major at Julliard, consisting of six weekly hours and an international conference at the end of the year, her teacher for this class was an absolute genius pianist and musicologist from Russia called Alena Kopylova and her course consisted on theory, listening, analysis and practical (which was playing). The reason Regina loved the saturday class so much was that it was the listening and analysis part of the course; many times thay would listen or analyse music that Regina already knew or had played, but many other times it was music completely new to her, and she loved that she was able to be introduced to new fantastic composers, interpreters and works of music. As this particular course was extremely heavy and definitely not mandatory (the required hours for an interpretation major on music history were two a week) there weren't that many people in the class, it was only seven students taking it and of them only one was Regina's friend, or rather say acquaintance: August Booth.

"Morning" August said to her as she reacher the classroom's door.

"Good morning, August" she replied politely.

The young man was seated on his cello's case, eating a pastry. "I had a ton of fun last night, you know? So did Graham. We really like you Regina, we should probably start hanging out more and maybe you could be part of the trio for good, what do you say?"

The proposal came in a little bit too fast on Regina, but luckily she was saved to answer right that second by her flustered teacher, that as always arrived with dozens of books and a heavy bag on her hands. "Good morning Ms. Mills, Mr. Booth" the woman said with her light russian accent trying to catch her breath.

Both students greeted her back and without being asked to took the books and the bag respectively, leaving the woman's hands free to open the classroom's door. Regina and August left the things on the desk and the seven pupils of Mrs. Kopylova took their usual places, making a half-circle around the small podium in the front of the classroom.

"I'm interested but I can't promise anything yet, I don't think I have enough time to fully commit to a project like the trio at the moment but let's try until the end of the semester" Regina whispered to August, that sat next to her. She recieved a genuine smile back from the cellist.

"We agreed on listening to the full Lohengrin Opera by Wagner today, I have brought all of you copies of a Breitkopf und Härtel edition of the opera so you can make anotations while we listen, we will continue the work on monday but let's try to not comment much so we get to listen to as much of it today. I will tell you how much you owe me for the copies later, right now I'm not very sure" the teacher said, passing seven sets of thick splined pages.

Regina took out a pencil and opened her copies excited, she adored this particular opera and she couldn't believe their teacher had given them copies of such fantastic edition of it. The two hours of quiet music-listening were perfect to take her mind off of the big mess she had made in the morning, she was so grateful for that class.

Regina ate with August and Graham after the class and later, from 3-6pm she locked herself with them inside a rehearsal room to keep on working on the Ghost Trio. At 6pm she met up with a flautist named Mulan to rehearse a Mozart flute concerto that she was accompanying her with the piano reduction of the orchestra. At 7pm she headed to the Julliard concert hall, where her piano teacher was waiting for her to hear her and help her choose a piano for a performance she had on monday, as she had predicted the chose the Steinway and Sons Model D concert grand piano. The day had been an absolute success and by the time she arrived home exhausted she had completely forgotten about the existance of a certain blonde that had heavily altered her morning, she went to sleep straight away, not knowing how much side damage she had caused.

* * *

When Regina closed the door on Emma's face that morning Emma felt her heart go small inside her chest and a blurry line of tears forming on top of her bottom eyelid, she took a deep breath to eliminate both feelings and shook her body back in place. She went to the pianist's bathroom, got into the shower and helped herself to some soap, shampoo and conditioner. She let the hot water rinse off the ugly feeling she had of rejection, hoping to trick herself into not caring about what had happened.

Was Regina actually just a tease like Malleficent had warned her? Was the plan to use her as a sex toy and push her out of her personal life? Or was Regina telling the truth when she had said she was no longer that way? It was true that it had only been a kiss the night before, and that she had been hanging out with Regina for about a month, maybe if all the pianist wanted was sex she would have went in for it from the very first day they met. Also, Emma had just figured out her feelings for Regina one day before and she couldn't expect for them to already be together all day long, yet she unconciously did.

She got dressed, made the bed, tidied the room as much as she could, gathered her things and left the apartment. The lobby man that had been so kind to her the previous day had now been close to hostile and to top it off the day out was grey; it was as if everything good that had happened on friday had to be taken away by something happening that saturday. When she was a few blocks away she checked the hour on her phone's screen: 11:14am, Regina was already in class and it seemed as she would be unavailable from the schedule she had been told in the morning all day long, or maybe that was what Regina wanted her to believe. She kept walking going nowhere in particular until her stomach made a growling noise. She realized it was very late and she hadn't eaten anything yet. On the other side of the street she saw a small café that she decided was going to be her breakfast/brunch place that day. She crossed the street, opened the door and to her surprise the very first thing she saw was a table occupied by none other than her friend Belle.

"Emma!" the aussie said waving from her spot, excited.

Emma smiled at her and quickly sat on the empty chair at the small table. "What are you doing here?" she asked her friend.

"I usually eat here, it's nor far from home or Julliard and I have a 12:30 class so I need to be out of home at a good hour. What are you doing here?" Belle said.

"I was around and hungry so as soon as I saw this I had to get in" Emma answered lauging lightly.

Belle first nodded but then her expression changed and she covered her mouth to contain an excited squeal. "No you didn't!" she exclaimed.

Emma frowned, confused.

"You slept with Regina, didn't you?" the violinist accused her.

Emma's face went blank at the affirmation. "I... no" she said, "well, yes slept but literally slept, n-nothing else" she looked down, trying to calm herself at the remembrance of her current situation.

Belle put her hand on Emma's arm, concerned. "Is everything ok Emma?"

"I don't know" Emma confessed. "See, I do really like Regina as a friend and maybe as something else, but last night I went home with her and... we kissed, and everything was great and I stayed over but today she was someone else, like she didn't care about me at all, left super early, said she'd be back late. I'm afraid Malleficent was right when she warned me about Regina only being in for the sex or just to play with me and toss me around. I'm confused Belle"

A waiter arrived, asking Emma for what she wanted to eat, she asked the first thing on the breakfast menu to dismiss him as soon as possible and continue talking with Belle.

"Em, Regina's not like that, at least I believe that. It's just that you have started loving or liking or what ever the wrong person" Belle told her. "I can tell you something for sure, she likes you back, but she probably did have to do a ton of things today, being a musician is hard and time consuming"

"What do you mean she likes me back? how do you know?"

Belle chuckled a little. "I just do, Emma"

It really relieved Emma talking to Belle and hearing her reassuring words, maybe she had only said Regina liked her back to make her feel good, but it had worked. Belle had to leave before Emma finished, but she promised to see her later that day at the dorms in Columbia. After having breakfast Emma took a train home; she found the apartment empty and threw herself to bed to watch some movies. At about 5pm someone knocked on her door: it was Ruby.

"I heard about Regina" the leggy brunette told her.

Emma wasn't that impressed, Belle had probably told her friend. "Did you come only to tell me that?"

"Well we're hanging out later, all of us, didn't you get the memo?" she said mockingly.

"Right, well it's early and I'm half way through The Clone Wars so... do you want to watch that with me what I drain what is left of my brains to forget about Regina?"

Ruby laughed loudly. "Sure, you weirdo"

At a random moment in the near end of the movie Ruby made herself present again.

"Hey, Emma?"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't ever fall in love with a musician, they're way too complicated"

That day Emma called Regina many times, but the call never seemed to go through. She hoped it was that there was no signal at Julliard, but she couldn't know. At 8pm Mary Margaret, David and Belle arrived at the dorm room and dragged Ruby and her out of it to a party that the students from the science department were hosting at one of the faculties' gardens, Emma had a blast and she thanked for the amazing friends she had, never mind what could possibly happen with Regina later she always had them.

* * *

**AN:** Yes, I'm alive and I'm so sorry, I've been super busy with school and performances and stuff. But I'm now in summer break on highschool and hopefully I'll have time to ay last write!

Also... I'd love some help on where you guys (my beautiful readers) want the story to head to! Leave any ideas you may have as a review or private message me!

Thank you so much for your sweet comments, it really means the world.

xx

-Lily Rickman


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